9 Exciting Activities for Practicing French Ending Sounds

As French teachers, we know how exciting (and challenging) it can be to guide young learners through the intricate world of phonological awareness!

One essential step in this journey is mastering French ending sounds—a skill that comes after students have already conquered syllables, rhyming, and beginning sounds. Think of it as the gateway to understanding all phonemes in words, an essential milestone for phonemic awareness.

Once students can identify those tricky ending sounds, they’re ready to tackle more advanced concepts like phoneme manipulation. Ready to dive in? Let’s explore some fun and effective activities that make learning French ending sounds a breeze for your budding linguists.

French Ending Sound Bingo

Get ready for a game your students will beg to play—Ending Sound Bingo! The twist? It’s completely customisable, and the kids make their own cards.

Here’s how it works: Students draw pictures on their bingo cards while you prepare calling cards with ending sounds. Call out a sound, and if a student has a picture on their card that ends with it, they cover it. It’s an instant hit!

I love keeping these make-your-own bingo cards for different themes, and I pull them out whenever we have extra time or want a fun-filled class period. Play for the first to finish a row, or keep the excitement going until someone fills their entire card. It’s learning disguised as pure fun!

Sort By Ending Sound

Sorting by ending sounds is an engaging way to build French phonological awareness. Use cards or objects that fit your lesson theme and start simple—just two ending sounds to avoid overwhelming. As students gain confidence, gradually increase to 4-5 sounds (but no more, trust me!).

This activity works wonders in small groups or as an independent station, encouraging active listening and collaboration. Want to add excitement? Let students bring objects from home to sort—it’s a fun way to personalise the learning experience. Simple, interactive, and effective, sorting by ending sounds is always a classroom win!

Ending Sound Hunt

Turn your classroom into a phonological playground with an ending sound hunt! Say a sound, and students search for objects that end with it. You can pre-hide cards or items for a more structured game or let them get creative with what’s already in the room. It’s active, engaging, and perfect for practising ending sounds while having a blast.

Ending Sound Centres

Small group activities or centre rotations are perfect for practising French ending sounds. With six exciting centres, your students will stay engaged while building their phonological skills:

1. What’s the Last Sound? – Identify the final sound in a word.
2. Sort by Ending Sound – Group objects or cards by their ending sound.
3. Which Doesn’t Go? – Spot the odd one out.
4. Puzzles – Match pieces based on ending sounds.
5. Bingo – Play and learn with ending sound bingo!

These centres are easy to set up, adaptable for different skill levels, and a great way to make learning interactive and fun!

Add the Ending Sound

This activity is a fantastic way to get students thinking about French ending sounds! Show them a picture of an object and say all the sounds in the word—except for the last one. Their job? To identify the word and provide the missing ending sound.

For example, show a picture of an apple and say “/po/.” Students then add the /m/ sound to complete the word. It’s an engaging way to reinforce phonological skills while encouraging active participation.

Pro tip: Start with simpler, two-sound words before progressing to longer ones. The best part? Watching their confidence grow with every correct answer!

Simon Says

Bring a phonological twist to Simon Says! In this version, students listen carefully to decide if the word you say ends with the sound you call out. If it does, they perform the action. For example: “Simon says touch your nose if cadeau ends with /o/.”

This game keeps students active, engaged, and focused on ending sounds. Mix in silly movements like hopping on one foot or spinning to keep it fun and challenging. It’s an excellent way to combine listening, movement, and phonological awareness with lots of laughter!

Ending Sound Pocket Chart

A French ending sound pocket chart centre is a versatile way to practice French phonological awareness. Students look at two words on a card and decide if they share the same ending sound. For example, do chat and rat have the same ending?

This activity works great as a whole-group exercise or in a learning centre using a pocket chart. It encourages teamwork, critical thinking, and focused listening. Plus, the visual component of the pocket chart helps students make connections more effectively. It’s simple to set up and keeps students engaged while mastering those tricky ending sounds!

Ending Sounds Memory

Turn learning into play with an ending sounds memory game! Create pairs of cards, each featuring different pictures with the same ending sound (e.g., chat and rat). Lay the cards face down and have students take turns flipping two at a time. If the ending sounds match, it’s a pair!

This game is perfect for practising phonological skills while boosting memory and concentration. It works well for small groups or centre activities, and kids love the challenge of finding matches. Adjust the difficulty by adding more pairs as they improve. Fun, engaging, and educational—it’s a classroom favourite!

Ending Sounds Puzzles

French ending sounds puzzles are a great hands-on way to work on this phonological awareness skill. Lay all the cards out and have students match the ending sound to the word. There are 20 sounds included, and each sound comes with 2 words. So there’s a total of 40 puzzles for your students to practice with!

This activity is perfect for small-group instruction, independent practice, and centres – making it a versatile part of your literacy instruction.